The Hunter
by FallenOutTheWindow
Summary: "He remembered standing on this deck on a night much like this, not so long ago; holding onto Audrey for dear life, as if she would disappear at any given moment. Only this time that was a real possibility."


**A/N: Okay, haven't written in quite some time but I'm hoping to get a fair bit done over the holidays. I wrote this on the train today on the way home from Uni and so there may be some typos, apologies in advance. I hope y'all like it, maybe this can help tide some of us over until the finale. Please remeber to review and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and have a wonderful New Years! **

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He remembered standing on this deck on a night much like this, not so long ago; holding onto Audrey for dear life, as if she would disappear at any given moment. Only this time that was a real possibility.

Turning to watch her, tracing the lines of her face with his eyes, memorizing each and every feature; the furrow of her brow, the shine of her eyes in the dark, the way she would purse her lips when deep in concentration. Those same lips that he had spent hours thinking about, the way they would meld with his own... There was no doubt in his mind that Audrey Parker was his and there was not a chance in hell he would let her go. Not this time.

After her decision to fight her fate, as it were, and try to stay Nathan had practically refused to leave her side, afraid of what would happen if he did. Finding her just days ago sprawled out on her couch after being knocked out with a gun, he remember the moment of panic, the surge of fear that ripped through him at the sight of her motionless body, terrified that this was the beginning of the end. To Nathan, there was no question that if he were to lose Audrey that he would lose himself, if she were to die he would be two steps behind her. He loved her and though he was afraid to speak the words aloud he swore to himself that if they made it through this, together as they had made it through every trial and tribulation that had come before, that he would tell her. He would show her.

Hearing the woman to his right sigh pulled him out of his silent reverie, her face light up by the meteor shower going on above. The Hunter. Tightening his hold on her hand ever so slightly, as if that would make a difference if the fates decide to take her, he tried to lighten the mood. Plastering on a smirk that had become all too fake and familiar over the past few weeks and far too easy for Audrey to see through, "Guess the Mayans were wrong, huh?"

"Wha..." Not the most eloquent of responses but at that point in time it was all Audrey could manage, after skipping sleep two nights in a row in favour of trying to find a way to stay she was dazed at best. Her eyelids half closed, jaw slack and hair mussed, her clothes wrinkled after extended wear and the barest hints of mascara and eyeliner smudged slightly below her eyes. To Nathan she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, as cliché as that sounded, she was a goddess.

"End of the world? 21st? Ringing any bells?"

"Oh, yeah. Guess they were..."

"Audrey?" Hesitant, he pulled his hand from hers, turning in his chair to face her more fully, searching her face for any signs that would tell him what was wrong.

"I'm just thinking... About everything, brain working too fast, I keep missing out the small things. Sorry." It was true. Almost, she was thinking about everything. Thinking about the Troubles and whether it was fair for her to stay if it meant everyone she had met, everyone she had helped would have to suffer. Whether another version of her would return in 27 years or if she would simply remain the same while everyone around her changed. While everyone she loved grew old and grew apart. About the Guard and what they would do to Nathan if she didn't go through with their plans; enter the barn and end this cycle of the Troubles.

In the end, everything came back to the man sat by her side. The man who had stood by her through every twist and turn before and refused to leave her side during her final battle, during what could be her final hour. She was serious when she said she wanted to fight the future and stay here in Haven, with him, but the more she thought about it the more she began to overthink things and the more she began to rethink her decision.

"Nathan... What if this is wrong?" Turning away from him, knowing he could read her all too well.

He knew what she meant immediately, it was the same thought he'd been pushing out of his head continuously. To him, a life without Audrey was wrong but he wasn't a man of words. Every time he tried to tell her this he lost the words or said the wrong thing. No, Nathan Wuornos was a man of action.

"Parker. Audrey, you can't... You can't think like that. Just look at everything you've done here, for everyone in Haven. What about every Troubled person that you _saved_. Was that wrong? They needed you, Audrey. There are people here who still need you, people love you and you can't just leave me. Them. You can't leave them, that's what I meant."

Turning slowly, trying to fight down the smile that threatened to fill her entire face at her partners Freudian slip, taking several steps across the decking and stopping just before the man before her; Barely an inch between them.

Nathan was looking everywhere, trying to avoid his partner's gaze knowing that she hadn't missed what he'd said; knowing that his ear and cheeks were probably tinged a bright shade of pink. This was not how he planned telling her.

"Nathan," Taking his hand, making him gasp involuntary at the contact. No matter how often she touched him he wasn't sure he would ever quite get over how it felt, the jolt of electricity that shot through him each time. Turning to look at her he felt his heart stop, her eyes shining with amusement, unshed tears and something that took him a moment to place. It was the same spark that he knew so well reflected back at him. _Love._

Not wasting another moment he raised his hand to cup her cheek, thumb rubbing over her cheek as unshed tears threatened to overspill. Fingers sliding through her hair and tickling the back of his hand as he moved his hand to the back of her neck, pulling her up towards him.

Her lips tasted of coffee and pancakes and chewing gum, smiling into the kiss he used his other arm to wrap itself around her waist to pull her impossibly closer and gasping at the feeling of her fingertips scraping his scalp and running through his hair.

Not wasting the opportunity Audrey deepened the kiss at his gasp, pulling him closer and tasting every inch of his mouth as their tongues danced. Running out of air but unable to fully part she pulled back as Nathan tried to follow, trying ignore the burning in his lungs that Audrey made him feel. Resting his forehead against hers she leaned back in, placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

Panting heavily Nathan was unsure if the tears he could feel on his cheeks were of his own making or Audrey's, possibly both.

Opening his eyes he saw her looking up at him and he knew, she knew. He didn't need to use the speech he'd been planning or make any over the top, grand gestures. She just knew.

She knew that he loved her.

She knew that he wouldn't let her go.

That he couldn't.

That the Hunter could come and go, that the world could fall apart around them right now and the only thing that Nathan would care about would be keeping her in his arms.

And she wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
